Drip pan hinge for refrigerator cars



Oct. 26; 1948. E. S. 61860 2,452,101

DRIP PAN HINGE FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Aug. 1, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 j mmvrozg.

Edward 5 Q2600,

Oct. 26, 1948.

Filed Aug. 1, 1946 E. s. CISCO 2,452,101

DRIP PAN HINGE FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR.

Fczwarcz a 62560,

Oct. 26, 1948. E. s. CISCO 2,452,101

DRIP PAN HINGE FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Aug. 1, 1946 s Sheets-Sheet 3 il I "2 I F ii? 7 L553; 26 f A 6 J0 Z INVEN TOR.

Zdwara, 6 C4960,

DRIP PAN HINGE FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Edward S. Cisco, Highland, Ind., assignor to Standard Railway Equipment Manufacturing Patented Oct. 26, 1948 Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application August 1,1946, Serial No. 687,723

9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in railway refrigerator cars used to transport perishable commodities at a predetermined temperature. Theinvention applies particularly to cars in which the cooling means, preferably containers for water ice, eutectic ice, brine or Dry Ice, are disposed immediately below the roof of the car adjacent a side wall thereof within an air cooling compartment. The lading is supported in spaced relation to the fioor by a foraminous rack. Flues preferably associated with the side walls of the car communicate between the cooling means and the space under the floor rack to provide a path for the circulation of air. Said path is from the cooling compartment downwardly through said lines, through the space under the floor rack, upwardly through the lading compartment, thereby cooling the lading, and finally to the cooling means, from where the cycle is repeated.

Any metallic parts of the construction of such railway refrigerator cars which come in contact with the circulating air in the lading space cause condensation to form upon said parts, which condensation drips upon the lading. This, of course,

is Very undesirable, and, therefore, it is an object of the invention to locate said metallic parts out of contact with the circulating air in the lading compartment.

Another object is to locate the hinges for a par tition forming the bottom of the cooling compartment on the upper surface of said partition and secure the hinges to a fixed part of the car whereby said partition ma be lowered for cleaning or other purposes Without disturbing any other part of the car.

A further object is to so associate said parts that the containers may be removedv without disturbing the hinge or cradle for supporting said containers.

A further object is to provide a drip pan fixed to the bottoms of adjacent containers, and supported thereby, and arranged to conduct liquid from said containers to certain of said fiues only.

A still further object is to provide a hinge structure for the partition, forming the bottom of said cooling compartment, said partition located closely adjacent the drip pan, said hinge structure permitting the partition to be pivotally lowered within the extremely limited space available for the purpose.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a partial transverse section'of a railway car embodying my invention. 7

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the hinge structure for supporting the partition in proper relation to the tank and side wall and section of associated parts.

' Figure 3 is a top plan view of said hinge structure.

Figure 4 is a section on line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a partial longitudinal section through the car.

In the drawings the general parts of a refrigerator car associated with the invention are the insulated roof I; side walls 2; floor 3; refrigerant container 4; hatches 5 for loading refrigerant into the container 4; side wall flues 6; foraminous floor rack "l and space 8 between the rack 1 and floor 3. The refrigerant containers 4 are spaced apart longitudinally of the car and positioned di-' rectly below the roof I and adjacent side wall 2. Partitions 9 are provided below the containers 4 having an upstanding bafile l along their inner edges and an upstanding baflle 24 along their side edges. Baffles 24 of adjacent partitions are secured together, as indicated in Figure 4. Partitions 9 and baffles l9 cooperate with the roof I and upper parts of the side wall to form an enclosure around the containers 4, air inlet openings l I to the enclosure being provided by spacing the upper edge of the baffle ill from the roof I.' Air dis charge openings I 2 lead from the enclosure to the fiues ii at a lower elevation than the air inlet openings H.

The air in the lading compartment, warmed by the lading therein, rises and enters the enclosure through air inlet openings l l, is cooled therein by the refrigerant and falls through the discharge openings 12 and fiues 6 to the space 8, from whence it rises through rack to the lading compartment, and the cycle is then repeated.

Spaced apart carlines l 3 extend transversely of the car and are secured at their opposite ends to the side walls 2 by brackets l4. Purlins l extend longitudinally of the car between adjacent carlines and support the refrigerant containers 4. Hatch frames l6 extend downwardly through the roof and project into the collar l1 extending upwardly from the edges of the filling opening in the top wall of container 4.

' Thus it is practically impossible, when loading the containers with crushed ice, for example, for

any of the ice to escape over the top of the con tainer and find its way to the lading compartment. The usual drain holes [8, overflow holes l9 and drain slot are provided to care for any surging water which may splash over collar l1: and reach the top of the tank, and to keep the quantity of liquid in the tank at a proper level, ree

An ob the container to a relatively small area and conduct same into certain of said side --fiues-;6, which certain fines are called .wet flues. Thus practically all of the severe corrosion is confined to the wet fines. To accomplish this result there is provided a drip pan 25 which in width is sufficient to overlap materially the lower outer approximate half of adjacent containers .41, spanning the space therebetween into which valves 21 discharge upon drip r n 25- s dr p pan le xtends transversely of the car and, as stated, spans the space between adjacent containersand underlaps their ends sufficiently to come well under the drain slots of the adjacent containers. The sides of the drip pan are provided with upstanding flanges iii-which extend to the bottoms of adjacent containers and are provided with reflanges ,2], secured in anyacceptable manner, to the respective bottoms of the adjacent containers. The, outer margin ofdrip pan25 is bent downwardly, as at 2B, overlapping the upper edge of the lining 28, and the inner margin of drip pan is provided with ashallow upstanding flange 38.

Refianges 21 do not extend to the outer margin of drip pan but continue only under the respective tank sufficiently to provide means forattaching same thereto, Side flanges 26, however, continue beyond the downturned portion 28 well in the flue 6 and at their ends are provided with downward lextensionssl which overlap and are secured to edges of the downturned portion 28, thereby effectively confining any moisture on the drip pan and forcing same to flow over portion 28 and fall therefrom into flue .6.

before stated, adjacent baffles 24 at the ends of the partitions or drip vpans 25 are secured together, as shown inFigure 4, and the length of said partition sections are arranged so that said baffles occur within the space between adjacent tanks 4. Consequently ,drip pan 125 is arched, as ,at :35, over saidbafiies 24 to preventany moisture'from either the drain valves .2! or overflow holes l9 or drain slotzo from reaching the space between baffles 24 and passing therethrough into the ladingcompartment of the car. At the outer end of the arched portion 35 there is provided an upstanding vv-shaped bafiie 36 having its apex facing inwardly of the car and its lower portion coped to straddle the arched portion 35 and bear against the downturnedportion 28; said bafiie 36 being welded-to the drip pan along the edges of said coping. It will he noted in Figure ,1 that this ,baflle 3.6 extends upwardly a sufiicient distance so that its upper end, is above the level of the drain slot 20 thereby veifeotively preventing any liquid therefrom etting under drip pan 25 by passing through the space between the ends of portions 28 under archedportion 35.

In Eigure 5 it will be noted that flue sheets 30 opposite .the outer end of the drip pan 25 are of heavier material than the remaining flue sheets 31 because the drip. pan is constructed and ar. rangedso ,as :to conduct all liquid thereupon into the lines 6 iormedbynue sheets 30', which fines, therefore, are termed the wet flues and the other flues the ,dry .flues.

Lining 29 is rabbeted along its upper outer margin for reception of a flashing 40 which ex tends upwardly and inwardly over and beyond theupper edge of lining 29, as at 4!. Secured to the under outer marginlof partition 9 ,is a counterflashing J32 having a downturned outer edge whichoverlaps the flashing 4| so that any condensation on pa tition will dra n into fin s Means is provided for lowering the partitions when necessary, said means comprising a, novel f rm of in -ins t partition se t ons alon t r outer edges to the sid wall of the car. Referring particularly to Figures 2 and 3 it will be noted that a bracket 50, which is substantially channelshaped in plan view and substantially triangular in side elevation, is secured by spaced bolts 5| to inner posts 52, above lining 29, also secured to said post-s. Hinge strap 53 is secured by bolts 54 to the outer edge of partition 9, and the outer margin of this strap is thickened to provide sufficient stock to accommodate a pair of holes 55- 56 and the inner approximate half thereof is widened, as at 57, to approximately the width of spaced arms of bracket 5|! for the purpose hereinafter described; the partition being ,cut away to accommodate same. Two pairs of registering holes 5.8 and .59 are provided in the spaced sides of the hinge bracket .50. A hinge link in the form of a ,U-bolt 60 is provided, having one legthereof passing through the registering holes 58 in the bracket and the other leg passing through holes .55. n the strap Vhub..,. Another sim lar hin link in the form of a U--btolt 6-] is provided having one leg thereof passing through registering holes 53 ,of the. bracket and the other leg thereof pass,- ing throu h the holes 5.6. It will be noted that the partition is inclined downwardly slightly tolward the wall of the car, and that the holes ,55 and 56 are each, respectively, outside of holes 5.8 and 59,, thus when the partition is raised .to posi,- ,tion shown in Figure 1 the links will assume the angle shown due to the respective lengths of said links and the spacing of, the bearing holes- The partition 9 also forms the ceiling of the lading ccmpartm. i ta and sin it s an object of the invention to have the ceilin s hi h as possible to provide maximum lading space for a iven l n th a he ht of c it w l e noted that this arran ment of hin e elements permi s the parti ion to be DOSitioned very cl se to the container cradle 22. In fact the device operates with this space but three-fourths of an inch.

Th s spo sible e ause as the inn end f the partit onis lower d t e o t r nds i ss inwa ly in substantially a horizontal plane while pivoting on holes 55-5,6 so that counterflashing 42 re.- vvlves r und nd ov r flashing 4| toward th p sition show in d tt d li s, Fi ure 1. All of this movement of the outer edge of said partition occurs Within the aforesaid extremely limited space between the partition and container saddle.

The outer nd or the partition han s from. said links 60 and 6| and, therefore, due to service movements of the car, there could be considerable and possibly damaging movement of said parti! tion sections longitudinally of the car. To prevent such possibility there is provided an integral upstanding lug projecting upwardl from the central portion of the thickened part between the spaced arms of bracket 50 so that any lat: eral movement one way or the other of the outer end ofsaid par ition will be res st d y said lu 6,5 ontacting eithe of sa bra ke a m Be cause of the location of nuts or bolts 5| the cen; tral portion of the outer side of said lug is coped out as a 66,150 c mpen at for sa uts wh partition is in norma posi ion- To hold. the U-shaped links 60 andfil in place there are provided tie pla es 6.! a d 68 each h v n prope y spa ed and suitably si ed hol s th o gh he nds thereof for application of said tie plates over the ends of sa d. links and c tt r pins m the be inserted to removably hold said tie plates in place,

The accompanyin drawing i lustrate the r ferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a refrigerator car having a roof, hinge means for hinging a partition to a car wall under a refrigerant container positioned and in close proximity to adjacent said roof and wall; said hinge means comprising a hinge bracket secured to said wall and hinge links pivotally supported at one end by said bracket and pivotally attached at their other ends to said partition, the location of the pivotal attachments of said links being such that as said partition pivots downwardly it swings inwardly so that the outer edge of the partition is always maintained within the limited space between said partition and container.

2. In a refrigerator car having a roof, a wall, and a refrigerant container adjacent said roof and wall and removably supported by a framework; a partition hingedly supported by a, fixed part of said car, by a metallic hinge, said hinge comprising a hinge bracket secured to said fixed part of said car and hinge links pivotally supported at one end by said bracket and pivotally attached at their other ends to said partition, the location of the pivotal attachments of said links being such that as said partition pivots downwardly it swings inwardly so that the outer edge of the partition is always maintained below the plane of the container.

3. In a refrigerator car having a roof, a wall provided with a lining having an upwardly directed flashing along its upper edge, a refrigerant container adjacent said roof and wall lining, and a partition supported below and closely adjacent said container having a counterflashing along its outer edge normally overlapping said flashing; hinge means to support the outer edge of said partition comprising a hinge bracket secured to said wall having spaced arms projecting over the outer margin of said partition and hinge links pivotally supported at one end by said arms and pivotally attached at their other ends to said partition, the location of said pivot points of said links being such that said partition may be swung downwardly on said links and said counterflashing clear said flashing within the limited space between said partition and container.

4. In a refrigerator car having a, wall provided with a lining having an upwardly and inwardly directed flashing along its upper edge, and a partition having a counterflashing along its outer edge normally overlapping said flashing; hinge means to support the outer edge of said partition comprising a hinge bracket secured to said wall having spaced arms projecting over the outer margin of said partition, and a pair of hinge links pivotally supported at one end by said arms and pivotally attached at their other ends to said partition, the location of said pivot points of said links being such that said partition may be swung laterally on said links as it pivots downwardly on said links and said counterflashing clear said flashing.

5. In a refrigerator car having a wall, a flue, associated with said wall, liquid refrigerant containers, longitudinally spaced along the upper part of said wall, drain openings in the end portions of adjacent containers discharging into the spaces therebetween, a drip pan spanning the space between adjacent containers and secured along its side margin to the bottoms of said containers and extending to and discharging into said flue, and a partition positioned below said containers and said drip pans partially enclosing said containers forming an air cooling chamber :thereabouts and extending to and communicating with the upper end of said flue for causing air and condensation within said chamber to be discharged into said flue.

6. In a, refrigerator car having vertical flues, liquid refrigerant containers longitudinally spaced along the upper part of said car, drain openings in the end portions of adjacent containers discharging into the space therebettween, a drip pan spanning the space between adjacent containers and secured along its side margins to the bottoms of said containers and extending to and discharging into certain of said flues, and a partition positioned below said containers and said drip pans partially enclosing said containers forming an air cooling chamber thereabouts and extending to and communicating with the upper ends of said flues for causing air and condensation within said chamber to be conducted to and discharged into all of said flues.

7. In a refrigerator car having a wall, flues associated with said wall, and refrigerant containers longitudinally spaced along and adjacent the upper part of said wall, said containers having overflow and drain openings discharging into the spaces between said containers; a drip pan spanning the space between adjacent containers and spaced below said containers, said drip pan being secured along its ends to the bottoms of said adjacent containers, said drip pan constructed and arranged so as to conduct liquid from said overflow and drain openings into certain of said flues.

8. In a refrigerator car having a wall, flues associated with said wall, and refrigerant containers longitudinally spaced along and adjacent the upper part of said wall, said containers having overflow and drain openings discharging into the spaces between said containers; a drip pan spanning the space between adjacent containers and secured along its ends to said adjacent containers, said drip pan constructed and arranged so as to conduct liquid from said overflow and drain openings into certain of said flues.

9. In a refrigerator car having a wall, flues associated with said wall, and refrigerant containers longitudinally spaced along and adjacent the upper part of said wall, said containers having overflow and drain openings discharging into the spaces between said containers; a drip pan spanning the space between adjacent containers below said openings and secured along its ends to said adjacent containers, and a baffle secured to the upper outer portion of said drip pan and arranged to deflect liquid flowing on said drip pan toward either side of said baffle and into adjacent flues.

. EDWARD S. CISCO.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date West July 9, 1940 Number 

